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I was thrown out of a gas station in Alabama for being non-white

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Junkie Brewster Donating Member (301 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-22-10 12:02 PM
Original message
I was thrown out of a gas station in Alabama for being non-white
At least, that's what I think happened. I was on my way back to Atlanta from Huntsville, AL, which is up near the border of Tennessee and Georgia. I decided to take some back country roads home, but I got turned around. So when I saw a small gas station near Sand Mountain (snake handling country, coincidentally), I stopped to ask for directions. I walked in and saw the gas station owner talking to a couple of men. They were all white, and they were all looking at me. Before I could say anything, the guy behind the counter said, "You'd best just keep moving," and that's when it occurred to me that my cell phone was nearly out of juice and I didn't have good coverage anyway and no one knew where I was. So, I took his advice, and kept moving. I guess he didn't want my business.
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donco6 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-22-10 12:11 PM
Response to Original message
1. Better be prepared to name names and addresses.
There's an anecdote Gestapo on the prowl today.
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HipChick Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-22-10 12:17 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. Aren't these biz just going to deny the incident took place anyway?..
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Posteritatis Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-22-10 01:05 PM
Response to Reply #2
8. Some would probably be proud of what they did. (nt)
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Junkie Brewster Donating Member (301 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-22-10 12:18 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. I would post a receipt if they had let me buy something
They didn't say "Get out, you non-white, atheist feminist!" I suppose they could have been talking about some kind of family problem, or maybe moonshine (still around in parts of the rural south) or even making a drug deal. But clearly they were more interested in having me gone than getting my money. So much for the free market.
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donco6 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-22-10 12:22 PM
Response to Reply #3
4. I'd have been pretty freaked out.
That kind of blatant "we don't want your kind 'round here" bullshit would set me on my heels. Then the banjo would start playing, and I'd see how much further I could go on fumes . . .
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marshall Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-22-10 12:26 PM
Response to Original message
5. I got charged more at a barber shop for being white
The barbers and the other customers were black, but I figured I would get my hair cut there and see what it looked like. The man said he would have to charge two dollars more than the posted price because my straight hair was harder to cut.

We'll all be there, one day.
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Elwood P Dowd Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-22-10 12:37 PM
Response to Original message
6. You may have stumbled on to some good ole boy rednecks making a meth deal.
Except for two years in Washington, DC and and three years in Georgia, I have lived in Alabama all my life. I am white, and there are some rough and 100% white areas of North Alabama I would avoid if possible.
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Name removed Donating Member (0 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-22-10 01:01 PM
Response to Original message
7. Deleted message
Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.
 
treestar Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-22-10 01:22 PM
Response to Original message
9. Somebody needs to go back there with a secret video recorder
Might be a good one for some type of media outlet! Catch them on film somehow.

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G_j Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-22-10 01:25 PM
Response to Original message
10. getting unreced
by our resident racists, I see.
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nvme Donating Member (486 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat May-22-10 01:31 PM
Response to Original message
11. K & R'ed but
still in neg territory
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